Blath -pronounced bla- is Gaelic for flowers . I always thought that a flower (heather)gatherer would be the simple explanation for the word in that line.

The Bob Dylan song Pity the Poor Immigrant mentioned I find interesting because it's only one of two songs that I can think of that uses the word "likewise" in it. The other song ,which is about emigration, is the Glen Swilly mentioned above. The word "likwise" comes at the same point in both songs -at the end of the last line of the first verse .

who passionately hates his life and likewise fears his death

I bid farewell to Donegal , likewise to Glenswilly

Molly's comments disappoint me because I'd often wondered as well whether the composer ever got to write his song of old Erin's Isle . If Molly's right, which seems to be the case , it means my pet theory on the subject is now up the Swannee - or Clyde or whatever . I had thought (hoped) that the composer of at least the original bones of the song might have been Pat O Flanagan ,the Travelling Candyman from the song of that name , which has a similar air -perhaps closer to the tune of the Irish Soldier Boy though.

Travelling Candyman (from memory from Peter Kennedy's book )

Chorus :For I take in old iron , I take in old bones and rags .
And I take in all different kinds of stuff and put them in separate bags
For I have traveled this country o'er and I'm known to everyone
And my name is Pat O Flanagan I'm a travelling Candyman

For I'm sailed over from Belfast , the work it was very slack
And when I landed in Glasgow I was wishing that I was back
I searched for work but no work could I find , so I struck on another plan
I came to the conclusion I would be a candyman

A woman came up the other day and she said she had lost her frock
Said she , "my good man won't you tumble it out for I know that it is in your stock"
Said I ,"my good woman yopur frock is not here and no more of your lip will I stand"
Bedad, she upped with her ugly fists , and she nailed the candyman.